Civil rights groups such as ACLU, NAACP and Drug Policy Alliance sent a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations last month to ask for a suspension of DEA’s war on drugs until the effectiveness of their actions has been reviewed.

In their letter, published in its entirety by Marijuana Moment, they are appealing to Congress to reevaluate several programs that, as they claim, use federal money for arrests instead of to improve the criminal justice system. Some of these programs are The Project Safe Neighbourhoods, COPS Hiring Program, Byrne-JAG Program, and DEA’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force.

The coalition of civil rights and liberty groups is calling on Congress to suspend these programs and their financing until oversight hearings are organized.

In relation to DEA’s program defined by these groups as “war on drugs”, they are voicing a belief that “[DEA] approaches drugs from a purely criminalization standpoint, under the misguided belief that the U.S. can reduce drug use through arrest and incarceration.”

One of their main objections to DEA’s activities is their focus on making arrests, instead of focusing on drug abuse as a health issue.

The coalition believes DEA’s “enforcement-only approaches” are a failure because they are not contributing to public safety, and are damaging to “communities of color who bear the negative impact of the drug war more than others do.”

How are DEA activities damaging to communities of color in particular?

However, a detailed report by Drug Policy Alliance shows that “Black and Latinx people are more likely to be arrested for marijuana offenses than white people, despite similar rates of use and sales across racial groups.”

And though it has to be said that the arrests for possession have dropped by 99% percent since the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana started in the US, black people still get arrested approximately four times more than white people.

Civil rights and liberty groups are reminding Congress that people with criminal charges have a harder time reintegrating into society, and DEA’s “war on drugs” doesn’t help the black community with these issues.

“If we are ever to treat drugs as a health issue, not a criminal issue, then the DEA’s enforcement activities must be suspended until an oversight hearing is done on this program by the House Judiciary Committee.”

In a recent development that can act as a major boost for the global medical marijuana industry, Israel has decided to make it easier for its citizens to purchase the product with greater ease. According to reports, the Health Ministry of Israel has decided to delist medical marijuana from the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and has paved the way for citizens to get medical marijuana easier. Needless to say, an individual would still need to have a prescription on them. Once that is in place, buying medical marijuana will no longer be a problem. Specialist doctors will also be able to prescribe it as medication.

The Change

Israel has been one of the leading countries in terms of the usage of marijuana for medical purposes. According to the director general of the Health Ministry; the country wants to turn it into a regular medical product. In the past, Israelis have had to get special permits in order to buy medical marijuana. However, everything has been made much easier for them now.

That being said, another top Israeli official announced that the aim of the move is to make it easier for people who are suffering from ailments to use medical marijuana without having to go through bureaucratic processes.

Pioneer

In this regard, it is important to point out that Israel has historically been one of the most advanced countries when it comes to the production of medical marijuana. As a matter of fact, many companies in the United States are also trying to use Israeli expertise in order to create better medical marijuana products.

Over the past year or so, the medical marijuana industry in the country has generated steady growth and the latest change in regulation will come as another major boost for the industry. More importantly, this will also make it possible for Israel to become one of the world’s biggest medical marijuana producers and will help supply product to the huge European market.

New Jersey lawmakers could vote as early as Thursday on a major medical marijuana expansion bill. Senate Bill 10 advanced out of a pair of committees on Monday, but only after undergoing multiple amendments. The amended version is not yet publicly available, but details are forthcoming. Still, the bill’s core framework remains the same, aiming to expand patient access to caregivers and licensed medical cannabis products. So even though adult-use legalization is off the table in New Jersey for the time being, medical cannabis consumers, caregivers and the industry stand to benefit from the bill’s new regulations.

Medical Marijuana Expansion Bill Would Improve Patient Access

New Jersey has been trying to grow its medical cannabis program under Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration. When Murphy took office in January 2018, the state had registered 30,000 medical cannabis patients. That number has since increased to 46,000. But the problem is that the state’s caregiver and dispensary infrastructure has not grown to keep up.

Currently, there are only six medical cannabis providers operating in the state. As a result, many patients approved for marijuana cannot access any.

New Jersey regulators have tried to approve more providers and get more businesses operating. But the application review and selection process has been bogged down in litigation, holding up the program’s expansion.

New Bill Would Break Up Vertical Integration Requirements for Medical Cannabis Businesses

To attempt to free up the licensing logjam, Senate Bill 10 would revise the requirements for medical cannabis businesses. Under New Jersey’s current law, businesses in the medical cannabis industry must be vertically integrated. In other words, a single company must obtain licenses for every stage in the production process, from cultivation to processing, distribution and sale.

But under new regulations, New Jersey regulators can issue separate permits for each activity. The new rules should make it easier for businesses to start operating.

The new bill would also establish a regulatory agency entirely devoted to New Jersey’s medical marijuana program. Currently, the state Department of Health is responsible for licensing and regulating the program.

Last week, the latest legislative effort to legalize cannabis for adults in New Jersey failed. But that failure means lawmakers now have more leverage for expanding medical access to cannabis.

The recent efforts to expand medical cannabis access were all tied in with bills to legalize adult use. Now, lawmakers can push forward a medical marijuana expansion on its own. And unlike adult-use legalization, which faced staunch resistance among Republican lawmakers in the New Jersey Legislature, there is broad bi-partisan support for medical marijuana.

After years of delays, then, medical cannabis patients in New Jersey are very close to having better access to physicians, treatment centers and dispensaries. And if S10 passes, they and their caregivers will also enjoy more robust legal protections from workplace or other forms of discrimination.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is seemingly everywhere, touting therapeutic effects ranging from relief for chronic pain to sleep, anxiety, and more. Finding the best ways of incorporating CBD into your daily routine can enhance your quality of life.

While CBD has several benefits, plenty of misinformation still surrounds this non-intoxicating compound from cannabis. Some companies producing CBD-infused everything are just hopping on the next wellness trend with little to show, but that doesn’t mean CBD can’t improve your lifestyle when used right.

Manage anxiety and depression

CBD activates a serotonin receptor called 5-HT1A. This receptor is also the target of several antidepressant drugs prescribed for both anxiety and depression.

In a study on patients with panic disorder, binding of the 5-HT1A receptor was reduced in untreated patients. The study concluded that “panic disorder is associated with reduced 5-HT(1A) receptor availability, which is also known to have a key role in depression.”

On the other hand, low doses of CBD may actually be stimulating. One study found that subjects given 15 mg of CBD experienced alerting effects. While it’s sometimes used as a sedative, CBD can also promote wakefulness.

Users could potentially rework their sleep cycle by using small doses of CBD to help stay alert during the day and achieve better sleep at night with higher doses.

Manage daily aches and pains or chronic pain

Whether you get headaches from staring at the screen at work too often or you deal with chronic pain, using CBD can help because it is an effective anti-inflammatory agent.

As mentioned before, CBD acts on a molecule called anandamide. This molecule is responsible for the regulation of several functions, including inflammation. CBD preserves anandamide, allowing it to reduce inflammation for longer.

Whether you deal with chronic pain or want to prevent daily aches and pains, incorporating CBD into your routine before heading out for the day can get you off to the right start.

Take CBD daily to boost overall health

CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, a complex system in the body made up of cannabinoid receptors. While humans produce their own cannabinoids that direct cells to take action, the endocannabinoid system can also be acted upon by external cannabinoids, like CBD.

The endocannabinoid system maintains homeostasis in the body, keeping it balanced and in good health. It can easily get thrown out of balance, and taking CBD can help regulate that.

For example, the endocannabinoid system has been shown to help the gut maintain homeostasis. A healthy gut is crucial for overall well-being, not just stomach-related.

Leading cannabinoid research and new drug development company AXIM® Biotechnologies recently filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The provisional patent application is for a patent on a chewing gum composition comprising of cannabinoids and parthenolide (feverfew extract) for treatment of symptoms of migraines. This provisional application establishes AXIM®’s filing date for the patent and gives AXIM® one year to file a formal patent application for their invention.

AXIM® Biotechnologies has already built a strong intellectual property portfolio with 5 issued patents, 12 pending patents, and 28 trademarks. The company is looking to expand on this IP portfolio with additional new drugs and consumer products formulated with cannabinoids, including this cannabinoid-based treatment for migraine symptoms.

The company is currently in development or trials for cannabinoid chewing gum treatments for symptoms related to multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy, AIDS, drug-related psychosis, and restless leg syndrome, with more on the way.

“AXIM is best known for its patent on chewing gum containing cannabinoids and our flagship CBD chewing gum product, CanChew+,” said AXIM CEO John W. Huemoeller II.“With this patent application and AXIM’s current cannabis chewing gum products currently in development, we plan to bring a variety of treatment options to the market.”

With this new provisional patent application, AXIM® plans to develop a cannabinoid chewing gum that contains cannabidiol (CBD) and/or cannabigerol (CBG), as well as feverfew extract, for the treatment of symptoms that often accompany migraines, such as headache, pain, nausea, and light sensitivity.

Feverfew has been proven to relieve and prevent symptoms of migraines. The company is looking to combine these effects with the benefits of cannabinoids like CBD and CBG for a novel way for migraine sufferers to find quick relief.

The new formulation will be delivered through AXIM®’s proprietary sustained-release chewing gum delivery technology to release active ingredients in a controlled manner into the oral cavity for a fast but lasting onset of effects.

There is currently no permanent cure for migraines, so treatments are aimed at relief of symptoms. The market for migraine treatments has been growing as global incidence has increased. According to Grand View Research, Inc., the global migraine treatment market size is expected to reach $7.8 billion by 2025. Although the migraine market is highly competitive, many migraine sufferers are looking for alternative treatments like CBD that don’t feature that harsh synthetic chemicals found in most current treatment options.

“As a company of firsts, Medical Marijuana, Inc. is proud to support AXIM as it files this patent application for the first-ever cannabis-based gum formulated to treat the symptoms of migraines,” said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO Dr. Stuart Titus. “Studies have estimated that migraines affect roughly 38 million people in the U.S. and the market currently lacks an effective natural treatment option for those people.”

You can learn more about AXIM® Biotechnologies, including its latest new drug developments, here, or visit our news feed for the latest from across our portfolio of companies.

Nebraska lawmakers have kicked off a debate on a proposal to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes as activists push a much broader ballot measure that would place the issue before voters next year.

Supporters argued Wednesday that the legislative bill is narrowly tailored, with restrictions on how much users can possess and a ban on marijuana smoking.

Senators who oppose the measure say the drug is still illegal at the federal level and argue that its benefits and dangers haven’t been fully studied.

The sponsor, Sen. Anna Wishart, of Lincoln, says the bill is intended to address the concerns of many groups who raised concerns about it.

Legalization supporters are circulating petitions to place the issue before voters on the November 2020 ballot, where it’s likely to pass.

Healthcare workers in Montreal have expressed concerns over an increase in hospital visits by children with cannabis intoxication since marijuana was legalized in October. The Montreal Children’s Hospital reported that 26 children were brought to the hospital since legalization. Nine of those children were under the age of 7.

The trauma director for the Children’s Hospital Debbie Friedman said that the increase in visits is significant compared to visits that occurred before legalization took place.

“[The number of cases] has gone from one every three to four years to nine within a very short period of time. So this certainly is alarming to us,” Friedman told CTV.

Edibles are not currently legal for sale in Canada but are expected to be later this year. Friedman believes that part of the problem may be that many edibles resemble other treats that kids would be enticed to try. They often have much higher THC levels and can be dangerous for small children to consume.

“Just because cannabis is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe for consumption by children and it doesn’t mean it should just be left around where it’s easily accessible to a child who’s curious, who is very attracted to the color of gummy bears or a chocolate bar or a hash brownie,” said Friedman.

Doctors and other healthcare workers have some concerns that parents might be worried about bringing their children to the hospital and admitting that they may have consumed cannabis due to possible repercussions.

“Parent shouldn’t be afraid to bring their child to medical attention. We’re not there to call (Director of Youth Protection) on the cases. It’s like any other ingestion. Accidents can happen,” said Dr. Dominic Chalut, an ER physician and toxicologist at the hospital.

Thankfully, no fatalities have been recorded at the hospital due to children consuming cannabis but the hospital encourages parents to be vigilant when they have cannabis in the home with their children.

“If you’re a parent and you know there is pot in your home, keep it safe, probably locked or in a safe environment. You know we don’t leave pharmaceuticals on the countertop for kids to have access.”

A few things to remember if you do have cannabis in the home with your children:

Cannabis should be stored in a safe and locked location and out of reach for children

Put cannabis in child-resistant packaging for extra protection

Educate your children about what medicine is and why only adults should be handling it

Our newest product features 99% pure CBD and a sweet citrus flavor for a daily use CBD tincture that everyone in your family can enjoy.

We are excited to announce the addition of our brand new CBD Isolate Tincture to the Medical Marijuana, Inc. line of products.

Dixie Botanicals® CBD Isolate Tincture is a delicious new way for our customers to enjoy their CBD each day without worry over exposure to THC. We’ve combined our pure CBD isolate with nutritious MCT oil and a splash of natural orange flavor.

You can find CBD Isolate Tincture now in the Medical Marijuana, Inc. store, or keep reading to learn more about the newest Dixie Botanicals® product.

What is CBD Isolate Tincture?

Dixie Botanicals® CBD Isolate Tincture combines our top quality 99% pure CBD Isolate with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil to create a CBD-infused oil that can be taken under the tongue or mixed into beverages.

The pure CBD isolate used in our CBD Isolate Tincture begins as the same non-GMO, CO2 extracted hemp oil as in all our CBD products. We then filter the oil until we are left with a powdered CBD isolate that touts incredible purity, allowing us to create CBD products that remove any concern about THC by using just the hemp plant’s CBD.

Our newest tincture packs plenty of CBD into a tiny package. Every 1 oz. bottle of Dixie Botanicals® CBD Isolate Tincture contains 250 mg of CBD. Filling the bottle’s 1 ml dropper provides just over 8 mg of CBD and half a dropper is just over 4 mg.

Simply place the liquid CBD Isolate Tincture under your tongue by filling the dropper with your desired serving size and then squeezing the droppers rubber top to dispense. The active compounds are absorbed quickly through the mucous membranes in the mouth for fast natural effects. Alternatively, add your serving of CBD Isolate Tincture to your favorite beverage and stir well.

Because this CBD Isolate Tincture is made with 99% pure CBD isolate, rather than full-spectrum CBD oil, our Isolate Tincture contains no detectable levels of THC, so they are a safe choice for your entire family.

Medical Marijuana, Inc. takes a number of steps to ensure the integrity of our products you can feel comfortable shopping our store. All our products start with hemp cultivated by 5th generation hemp farmers. Our hemp is grown without herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers. After harvest, we extract our hemp oil using safe, non-toxic CO2. Before we ship any products to our customers, we test them three times for safety and consistency as part of our Triple Lab Tested standard. This means that you can confidently use our CBD products knowing they are of the highest quality.

Order Your Dixie Botanicals® CBD Isolate Tincture Now

You can purchase Dixie Botanicals® CBD Isolate Tincture for $38.99 now in our online store.

To learn more about brands like Dixie Botanicals®, Real Scientific Hemp Oil, and the rest of our product line on our CBD Oil Education page.

The majority of health professionals — including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists — express support the use of medical cannabis in clinical practice, according to a systematic review of the relevant literature published in the journal PLOS One.

An international team of investigators reviewed over 100 studies assessing health professionals’ opinions with regard to medical cannabis.

Authors identified growing support for marijuana therapy in the more recently published literature. They concluded: “[H]ealth professionals [are] relatively supportive of the use of medicinal cannabis in clinical practice. This notion was consistent across the three predominant professional populations of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing.”

Under federal law the cannabis plant is defined as a schedule I controlled substance with “no currently accepted use in treatment in the United States.”